Since the age of four the Nowra High School, year 7, student has only wanted to do one thing.

Learn to fly.

Since kindergarten, there were two things Elyzia decided were important to her – experiencing the freedom and power of weightlessness, and exercising her compassion for the sustainability of endangered animals.

Ever since, she has been working toward her goal of flying solo around the world to protect our most precious rainforests and the critters which reside in them.

When Elyzia was eight she joined the Australian Air Force Cadets in Albion Park.

It was there she learnt about Jean Batten, a glamorous, well-dressed, gutsy female pilot who took a number of record-breaking solo flights in the 1930s, and who was now one of Elyzia’s many aviation heroes.

Elyzia’s grandmother, Jennifer Quin, said when Elyzia was taken to HMAS Albatross to fly for the first time, for her birthday earlier this year, she wore an apricot lace frock to channel a touch of Batten.

“When she goes up in that plane, there is such a look of happiness on her face. You can’t beat it,” Ms Quin said.

Elyzia said she couldn’t describe the overwhelming feeling of joy when she soared over the dynamic landscape of the South Coast.

She’s now clocked up almost eight hours of flying, but Elyzia will have to wait until she is 15-year-old and flown for at least 20 hours before she can take to the skies on her own.

The dream doesn’t come cheap however. But, for Elyzia the challenge has only made the experience that much more rewarding.

With the tech-savvy skills of a teenager and some extra help from her grandparents, Elyzia has been able to set up a trust-fund in which pilots from all over the world have been donating to the young girl’s dream.

Via the Facebook page she created, Pilot’s Lounge, Elyzia has been able to regularly converse with mad-about-flying people about the technicalities of jetting through air and kicking aviation goals. 

“I wanted to share my story and what I have achieved so I can say to other young people to never to give up on their dreams, no matter what,” Elyzia said.

“It is hard juggling school work, but I try and I really appreciate the help everyone has given me for me to get here.”

The dirt road to the South Coast Recreational Flying Club headquarters, where Elyzia will clock most of her flying hours, is nestled between farms of grazing cattle. The runway is shouldered by the majestic heights of the Kangaroo Valley mountain range with panoramic views of Coolangatta, and the coastline beyond. It’s easy to see why Elyzia is hooked.

Elyzia is wearing a pretty green lace dress teamed with a pair of funky black converse. She looks more nervous about the interview than the idea of flying a light aircraft on her own, but when she starts to talk her passion and gutsy attitude for flight shines through.

She said the best thing about flying was to see the land from a birds-eye view.

“You just feel free,” she said.